Best tips to improving ACT Score?

I have continuously scored low on the ACT 3 times now, but that was due to laziness (The only prep I did was read over a few chapters of Real ACT Prep Guide the night before :-/ ) English is my strongest (30) and Science is my weakest (It keeps dropping a point each time! I went from a 23 to a 21!) Math is a 24 and Reading has been increasing, (now a 24) My highest composite is a 25 and my lowest a 23 (I was verrrry sick the day I took it and guessed on the last 20 Reading and Math questions lol, but the test was the free one your school gives you so I didn’t worry too much)

I now am doing ACT prep out of books and online (eprep) every single day for at least an hour, but what are some strategies? How exactly do you study for this? I am signed up for the June test date and also plan to take the September (will be my last one). I would really like to get a 28! Would this be possible considering I scored a 25 with no prep at all?

Please leave your tips below! It can be books you used, strategies, anything! Thanks :slight_smile:

The best way to study for the ACT is to practice with REAL ACT tests. There are 5 tests in the Red ACT Book, 3rd Edition. ACT released several tests in booklet form.

Time each practice session to simulate the real test.

English 75 questions in 45 min.
Math 60 questions in 60 min.
Reading 40 questions in 35 min.
Science 40 questions in 35 min

Score your test, and then review only what you got wrong after each practice session.

I suggest the following schedule:

Take 1 section each school night/with review for 4 nights/week.
Twice per month on a Saturday or Sunday take a full ACT test/with review.

Hi! I recommend that you spend time doing practice tests. I found that questions are very similar from test to test, especially in the math section. If you can get your hands on some real tests, that would probably benefit you the most. Also, I recommend keeping track of all the questions you got wrong and reviewing them (maybe once a week?) to see if you can now do them. Another thing to do is to keep a list of all of the new concepts/formulas/grammar rules etc. that you learn in some notebook. Then, everything you learn will be in one place and easy to review right before the test.

For online prep have you checked out testive (https://www.testive.com/)? It’s free, and it essentially does what I mentioned above (keeps track of wrong answers) while altering the questions it gives you to work on your weaknesses in each section. They also have some free lesson videos. I think Khan academy has some similar lesson videos, too.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to start preparing early so you have a chance to review everything in the days leading up to the test. Schedule-wise, I would try to take a practice test once a week before the test, and spend a total of 3+ hours reviewing during the week (depending on what you need). On the Friday before the test, review everything you have learned (do not try and learn new things) and go to bed early!!!

I hope this was helpful :slight_smile:

Thank you for the help!! I appreciate it :slight_smile: